Now, i should also mention a store called Hard Off, there are a number of branches in Tokyo and across Japan. They have 5 floors of 2nd hand stuff including instuments. I posted a few shots of the Burny Les Pauls earlier.

These were really interesting but I dont think they liked you taking photos. I saw an Epiphone Les Paul Deluxe in white and it had the correct open book headstock and was mint condition for around £250

Ok, so Im running out of photos and its time for the junk story that lead to my only other purchase. I'd read during my research that there were also 'junk' areas in the guitar shops where they were just trying to get rid of stuff, like a bargain bin.

In most of the shops I would go up and ask the shop assistants if they had and second hand tweed tokai cases (you gotta try and house them in the real thing!) And, besides if I got a case then why not fill it with a guitar.

Some pretty much everyone I spoke to smiled and looked at me as if I was mad (like asking for a copy of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley for those of you in the UK of a certain vintage ) No, I'm sorry was the usual polite answer (sorry for this poor deluded tourist looking for the holy grail!).

In one shop the guy said if you go around the corner we have a pile of second hand cases. I thanked him and wondered if he was just trying to show me the door politely as I tentatively went round the corner. Sure enough, there was a stack of cases at the end of a narrow cul-de-sac which I scanned and was not impressed by the expensive modern stuff I saw. However as I pivoted on my heals to leave I saw a sign saying 'Junk'!

I smiled to myself and looked down and there at the top of a pile of gear was a small vintage style tweed case, the type you use for effects pedals. I laughed out loud and picked it up, opening it up to see the lovely velour red interior. Interesting but how much? I got my phone out for th calculator to check my mental arithmetic and sure enough it was £6!

I though, Im having this and tucked it under my arm before returning to the pile to check out the other gold dust. Lo and behold, directly under the tweed case was a Zoom G2.1 effects unit. Now I am aware that opinions vary on these but this was solid and at £4 (yes 4 quid!) I thought it was worth a punt event if it didnt work (I checked the voltage spec and got a UK instruction booklet on line). So here is my handy work for that days shopping:

The punchline is that the effects pedal works and is an interesting toy to mess around with however it also fits in the tweed case! Result for £10_________________Please check out my Tokai Strat Book: http://www.blurb.co.uk/my/book/detail/2060524

Ok running out of photos so hope you enjoyed what I have posted and it was worth the wait. i could have taken so many more shots and found a few more shops but time was limited. You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be back as it is a beautiful country with some great shopping!

Just a note on tax free - you are menat to carry your passport with you at all times as a tourist in Japan but you will need ot produce it for the tax free sign off.